Blah, blah, blah, national security is the President's big strength with the voters.

Blah, blah, blah, turnout will be key in this election, with a premium put on turning out "the base" and, simultaneously, appealing to the very small number of swing voters -- who live in just 17 (19?) states and who will be bombarded with commercials, direct mail, and phone calls all year.

Blah, blah, blah, the Bush campaign is going to try to paint John Kerry as a tax raising, weak-on-defense flip flopper.

Blah, blah, blah, the Kerry campaign is repeating many of the mistakes of the Gore campaign, and is headed by a Gore-like figure.

Blah, blah, blah, the Democrats will argue that Karl Rove and Co. will do ANYTHING it takes to win, while Republicans will claim that the coordination between the Kerry campaign and the liberal 527s is patently illegal.

Blah, blah, blah, those of goo-goo sentiment will claim that there is too much money in politics.

Goodness -- where does a working journalist go to have an original thought these days?

Speaking of original, what could be more so than to continue on a bus trip through the heartland, as President Bush does today . . .

He'll be in Ohio, speaking at a pancake breakfast in Maumee before participating in a Q&A session in Dayton. Bush then visits the Golden Lamb Inn in Lebanon, then speaks at a rally at the Cincinnati Gardens in Roseland, Ohio.

Sen. Kerry visits a classroom at Longfellow Elementary School and speaks about increasing high school graduation rates in Albuquerque, N.M.

Teresa Heinz Kerry is in New York City.

The Senate resumes consideration of consideration of the corporate tax cuts bill. The Harkin Over-Time amendment will be pending. Roll call votes are expected.

ABC News Vote 2004: Bush-Cheney re-elect:

The AP's Ron Fournier wraps Bush's day on the road, including his acknowledgement "that the region is still in the throes of an ailing economy" and his warning that "Democratic challenger John Kerry is not the steady leader America needs." LINK

According to Bush campaign advisors, Bush's "shift in tactics" from a heavy advertising campaign to a retail campaign "reflects concern that the trappings of the White House put Bush in danger of looking out of touch, and that crucial industrial states could slip out of reach because of unemployment," reports the Washington Post's Mike Allen. LINK

Allen couldn't resist a description of the campaign bus as "swank" -- a far cry from the Oldsmobile during the 1978 congressional campaign that First Lady Laura Bush reminisced about. Also revealed Monday: Bush is reading "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers.

The New York Times' Elisabeth Bumiller Notes that Bush had "the intensity of a man running as if the election were six days away rather than six months." LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Wallsten, writing on the bus tour, found "something striking" about the President and First Lady "climbing aboard a rock-star style motor coach so early in the year." LINK

USA Today's Benedetto and Keen have an awesome analysis of the buses themselves. LINK

"Each has three passenger compartments, two bathrooms, a galley, flip-down TV screens with satellite programming and a leather recliner for Bush. Campaign officials wouldn't describe security modifications. Bush aides use the second VIP bus. Reporters ride in regular buses."

The Boston Globe's Anne Kornblut Notes that the President consistently knocked what he sees as Kerry's inconsistencies while in Michigan yesterday. LINK

President Bush will start his day in very blue Ohio territory. Lucas County (home to Toledo) in the Northwest portion of the state will likely not be an ultra competitive county this November. The last time Lucas County voted for a Republican presidential candidate was for Ronald Regan's re-elect in 1984 and that was by a very slim margin.

The President will then travel to some friendlier turf as heads through competitive Montgomery County (Dayton) and the comfortably red Warren and Hamilton counties.

Here's a look at how the 2000 vote broke down along the President's campaign trail route today.

Lucas County:
Gore 57.8%
Bush 39.1%

Montgomery County:
Gore 49.6%
Bush 47.5%

Warren County:
Bush 69.9%
Gore 27.7%

Hamilton County:
Bush 54%
Gore 42.8%

The Cincinnati Enquirer on Sunday took a look at the Golden Lamb's presidential history. George W. Bush will make number 12 to visit, but the first to do so as a sitting president. LINK

Monday, the Enquirer took a look at capacity crowds at the Cincinnati Gardens. The Richard Nixon/Henry Cabot Lodge rally in October 1960 still holds the record with 19,000 attendees. LINK

While the President was in Michigan knocking Kerry's inconsistency, Vice President Cheney was in Arkansas asserting that Kerry had consistently voted against tax reductions and tax credits. Bloomberg and the AP report on his speech at a Wal-Mart distribution center in Arkansas. LINK and LINK

The Note had an insider's view on the Vice President's trip to the Wal-Mart plant on Monday, witnessing along with him the thousands of gallons of Dr. Thunder, piles of Sanyo 27" flat screens, and mountains of Angel Soft bathroom tissue that served as a backdrop for his remarks to the extremely enthusiastic Wal-Mart employees.

The visit was a quick one to say the least as the Vice President was literally on the ground in Arkansas for about two hours and then back to D.C. Accompanied by Mrs. Cheney, the Vice President chatted with several of the workers at the distribution center, and the two of them were introduced to the Wal-Mart faithful to the tune of Van Halen's "Right Now," a copy of which could very well have been found somewhere in the shelves of the 1.2 million square-foot facility.

[Note Note: One word to describe the Air Force Two lunch of a taco salad and a Klondike Bar: yahtzee!]

ABC News Vote 2004: Bush vs. Kerry:

The Los Angeles Times writes about 2004 as the "country's first $1-billion political campaign" and reports on the flush days for those who count campaign cash, chronicling "the RNC plans to pour at least $50 million into the presidential campaign; the DNC is confident it will spend at least that much as well. Another $100 million will be spent on the political conventions. Independent groups known as 527s say they will spend $145 million. And MoveOn.org has announced a $50-million fundraising goal for its political action committee." LINK

However, as The Note's daily PSA, we caution against sticker shock and the breathless outrage of one BILLION dollars. It takes money to get out a message.

The New York Times' Halbfinger and Rutenberg report the Bush campaign "indicated Monday that they too might expand their advertising purchases to Louisiana and Colorado, and Democrats late in the day said the Bush campaign was indeed moving to go on the air in Colorado on Wednesday." One "prominent Democratic strategist who refused to be named" wrings hands loudly. LINK

ABC News Vote 2004: Sen. John Kerry: the ads:

The Howard Kurtz/Jim VandeHei write-up of Kerry's ad buy in the Washington Post disagrees with Mary Beth Cahill's assessment that Kerry has run a positive campaign, Notes that Kerry is borrowing Bush's optimism theme and gets Rep. Steny Hoyer to provide the requisite Democratic grumbling about Kerry. LINK

Hoyer spokesperson Stacey Farnen e-mailed us to clarify: "Congressman Hoyer actually stated to the Post that the Democratic concerns he has heard and was quoted as describing were 'unrealistic' and he didn't share them. He also said that he thinks that the Kerry ad buy is a 'bold move' that will be 'helpful'."

Note particularly this graf that precedes the notion of "growing pains": "Some of Kerry's surface wounds are self-inflicted, Democrats say. The candidate has tried to focus on a major theme each week -- the environment around Earth Day, job loss during a Rust Belt tour last week -- but he often gets pulled into fights picked by the GOP over national security. Kerry spent much of last week explaining whether he tossed away his war medals or ribbons and then questioning Bush's National Guard record."

The Chicago Tribune's Jeff Zeleny Notes the pointed references to a privileged background and a call to serve his country in Kerry's new ads. LINK

Knight Ridder's James Kuhnhenn Notes, "Kerry's new ads are accompanied by a soundtrack of rousing martial music -- an original score composed for the campaign." LINK

The Boston Globe's Johnson and Kranish combine forces to report on the new television ads and the vocal combat between pro-Kerry and anti-Kerry Vietnam veterans. LINK

ABC News Vote 2004: Sen. John Kerry and Vietnam:

The Washington Post's Brian Faler reports that a group of Vietnam veterans plan to release a letter Tuesday calling on Kerry to release all of his military records and criticizing him for cladding himself "in the very medals" he "disdainfully threw away." Faler Notes that the letter will be released at an event sponsored by "the Dallas-based Spaeth Communications Inc. -- whose founder, Merrie Spaeth, is mentioned on the Bush White House Web site as a 'prominent' alumni of its fellows program."LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Braun writes the veterans opposing Kerry are "demanding that the prospective Democratic presidential nominee release all his service records from the period he spent in Vietnam's river battle zone." LINK

John O'Neill, who was hand-picked by Nixon's political team to debate Kerry on the Dick Cavett show more than 30 years ago, pens an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal accusing the Senator of "inventing or repeating grossly exaggerated claims of atrocities and war crimes in order to advance his own political career as an antiwar activist" and writing of his "profound conviction that John Kerry is simply not fit to be America's commander in chief."

The New York Daily News Notes O'Neill's Nixon ties. LINK

ABC News Vote 2004: Sen. John Kerry:

David Brooks suggests that Democrats should relax because "John Kerry is doing exactly what he should be doing right now. He is in a post-primary molting season. He's emerging from the shadow of Howard Dean and becoming more like the policy twin of Joe Lieberman: a pro-trade, fiscally conservative centrist Democrat who is willing to pour more troops into Iraq to win the war." The last graph is a must-read, we find. LINK

The Albuquerque Journal reports "the race for the White House will take a lap through Albuquerque today when Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry visits to tout his education agenda." LINK and right above that on the home page the paper writes of GOP attacks on Kerry "on education, taxes and Hispanic appointments a day before he was scheduled to campaign in New Mexico." LINK

And the Albuquerque Journal reports New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson's "star power could be critical to Sen. John Kerry's presidential campaign" as the Gov works to mobilize Hispanic voters "even though Kerry does not plan to open a headquarters in New Mexico until later this month." LOTS of Richardson veepstakes talk. LINK

The Carlsbad Current-Argus reports Kerry will "meet with Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, who is co-chairwoman of his New Mexico campaign, and Gov. Bill Richardson, who has repeatedly denied rumors that he could be among those being considered as Kerry's running mate" during his time in New Mexico. LINK

Dean "vows to support Kerry," reports the Washington Times. LINK

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports on Kerry's way-full fundraiser, writing that "as more than 3,000 supporters gathered at a modestly priced main event...Kerry first spoke to a group of more than 500 people who had given $1,000 in return for proximity to Kerry and free wine and canapés." LINK

ABC News' Ed O'Keefe reports that the campaign says Kerry raised $1 million for his White House bid and $440,000 for the Democratic National Committee during an evening fundraiser in Minnesota on Monday. Original estimates were not given for the DNC and campaign aides predicted Kerry would take in $600,000. The presumptive Democratic nominee travels to New Mexico, California, Arizona, and Louisiana this week.

The Kerry campaign has also announced 17 fundraisers in 14 cities over the next two months. The Senator will visit cities from Louisville, Ky. to Little Rock, Ark., and even his hometown of Denver, Colo.

O'Keefe reports that between Thursday and June 25, Kerry will travel to: Phoenix, Ariz.; Louisville, Ky.; Little Rock, Ark.; Las Vegas, Nev.; Boston, Mass.; Greenwich/Stamford, Conn.; Portland, Ore.; Seattle, Wash.; Los Angeles, Calif.; New York; New Jersey; Aspen and Denver, Colo.; and San Francisco and Silicon Valley, Calif., before swinging back to L.A. and New York. For those keeping track, that's five battleground states, two that President Bush won in 2000 with at least 15 percent of the vote, and five that were blue as could be last time around.

The St. Paul Pioneer Press picks up on Kerry's message invoking the memory of the late Sen. Paul Wellstone and Notes Kerry "was was greeted by a group of 14 veterans, members of 'Minnesota Veterans and Families for John Kerry.'" Outside the convention center, reports the paper, "about 30 Kerry critics gathered" to "emphasize criticism that Kerry 'flip-flops' on issues." LINK

The Washington Post's John Harris writes up Kerry's remarks to the Anti-Defamation League and Notes that Kerry only made a "quick nod to the news of the moment: the vote in a Likud Party referendum Sunday to reject Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to unilaterally withdraw troops and settlers from the Gaza Strip. Bush and Kerry had embraced Sharon's plan …"LINK

The New York Times' Michiko Kakutani turns in a glowing review of the Boston Globe's Kerry biography, calling the newspaper series on which it is based significantly tougher-minded than a similar one David Maraniss did on Bill Clinton for The Washington Post in 1992." Writes Kakutani: "Some of Mr. Kerry's traits, cited in this book, eerily recall those of Al Gore." LINK

The Hill reports the Stars are all aligning for the Kerry campaign -- Quincy Jones, Babs, Dave Matthews, and more! LINK

ABC News Vote 2004: the battlegrounds:

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Steven Walters reports on a new star-based rating system of day care facilities proposed by Gov. Jim Doyle on Monday. LINK

A Wall Street Journal editorial chides Ohio's Republican governor for taxing and spending, and says that "if Mr. Bush loses the linchpin state, the Taft-Bennett-Householder wing of the Ohio GOP will be one of the reasons."

The economy:

The Federal Reserve is expected to raise interest rates at some point soon, reports ABC News' Ramona Schindelheim, but it won't be today; they'll likely remain at 1 percent until the end of the summer.

"For months, the Federal Open Market Committee has said it was leaving the Fed Funds Rate -- the rate banks charge each other for overnight loans -- at 1% because it was worried about the possibility of deflation, a sustained downward spiral in prices. With prices rising, it's a good bet that the Fed isn't worried any more. The common wisdom now is the Fed will be looking at an early and gradual increase in interest rates, a balance designed to keep inflation in check without crushing the rebound in the jobs market," Schindelheim reports.

The Wall Street Journal reports "the recovery of the nation's manufacturing sector remained on course last month, but rising prices are starting to worry some factory operators."

"States across the country are reporting stronger tax collections this spring for the first time in three years, fueling hopes that the bleakest budget-cutting days of the economic downturn are over," the New York Times' James Dao reports. But, Notes Dao, "tax revenues are not growing fast enough to offset the rapidly rising costs of Medicaid, pensions and education, which account for most state spending." LINK

The New York Times reports "household debt could soon start to pinch" as "Fed officials, who will meet on Tuesday to set monetary policy, have made it clear that they must eventually raise" interest rates. LINK

USA Today's Stephanie Armour reports, "Companies that once touted family-friendly benefits are cutting back on them in this tight job market, slashing programs that let employees telecommute, work part time, share jobs, or take paid family leave." LINK

The Wall Street Journal's ed board compliments Bush for finally talking about "the harmful effects of broadband taxes and regulation" and discusses a new study to support their claims.

The politics of national security:

The New York Times" Lewis reports the White House's plan "to use military tribunals to try some of the detainees held at Guantánamo Bay" has "been receiving some of its sharpest attacks from the military defense lawyers who are participating in the process." LINK

The Boston Globe's Charlie Savage examines a "surge in secrecy," where eyebrows are raising at the Bush Administration over a bigger pile of classified national security documents than ever before: 14 million last year, 11 million the year before that, and 8 million the year before that. LINK

George Will writes in the Washington Post that President Bush needs to look realistically not only at the situation in Iraq, but the message that his words about it are sending. LINK

"This administration cannot be trusted to govern if it cannot be counted on to think and, having thought, to have second thoughts. Thinking is not the reiteration of bromides about how 'all people yearn to live in freedom' (McClellan). And about how it is 'cultural condescension' to doubt that some cultures have the requisite aptitudes for democracy (Bush). And about how it is a 'myth' that 'our attachment to freedom is a product of our culture' because 'ours are not Western values; they are the universal values of the human spirit' (Tony Blair)."

The Washington Post's Robin Wright looks at the damage-control efforts by the Bush Administration to counteract backlash around the world as a result of the abuse report. LINK

The politics of the 9/11 Commission:

The Hill reports Tom Kean says he hopes his panel "can complete its report in time to have it reviewed by the White House and released well before Democrats gather in Boston" for their convention. LINK

Big casino budget politics: Medicare:

According to the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, Administration officials "appear to have violated federal law by barring Medicare's chief actuary from sharing cost estimates with lawmakers debating prescription-drug legislation," the Wall Street Journal's David Rogers reports.

The New York Times' Pear Notes the Administration "pened a campaign to persuade millions of older Americans to sign up for prescription drug discount cards" on Monday. LINK

USA Today's William Welch reports that seniors are angry they face higher prices than are available in Canada despite the drug discount cards. LINK

The Washington Post's Ceci Connolly was at a demonstration of the new Medicare drug discount cards yesterday lead by none other than Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist. Connolly points out that despite the aggressive marketing toward seniors, confusion still abounds about drug prices. LINK

The morning shows:

The morning shows were light on politics this morning. All three led with former prisoner Thomas Hamill, who made a statement in Germany minutes before 7:00 am ET.

NBC's "Today Show" had a tell on Bush and Kerry, highlighting in a straightforward way Kerry's ad buy, Bush's bus tour and Kerry's plan to focus on education today. CBS had a Bill Plante package on the same topic. Plante noted that Kerry's ads were designed to counter critics who have argued Kerry has not defined himself -- and that Bush continues to define Kerry.

Vanity Fair author Robert Sam Anson visited NBC's "Today" to discuss his article on former President Clinton. Anson reports that the President "has not changed a bit" since he left Washington, and that "he has still not figured out how to handle himself, post White House." In previewing 42's much anticipated autobiography, Anson Noted that "you will read a lot about what it is like to be a southerner growing up" from the boy from Arkansas. Turning to presidential politics, Anson predicted Clinton will "try to take an enormous role in Kerry's candidacy," but was unsure about what effect or access he may be granted to the campaign.

Ambassador Joe Wilson appeared on CNN's "American Morning" to discuss his new book "Politics of Truth." "This was a question of holding your government accountable," Wilson said of his objecting to some of the intelligence used by the President in his State of the Union address. "This was a question of your civic duty." Bill Hemmer noted that Wilson had endorsed Sen. Kerry and that the White House refused to comment on the record to Wilson's book. "I guess they believe your book does not deserve comment," Hemmer mused.

Nader:

The Washington Times' Steve Miller looks at the state of Nader's ballot access efforts. Nader says he has been having trouble getting signatures in Texas where, he says, his volunteer petitioners are being blocked by officials on public property. Nader's Texas deadline is only a week away. He needs to get 64,000 signatures there by May 10. LINK

Indiana voters head to the polls today for a Republican primary between former OMB Director Mitch Daniels and attorney Eric Miller. Daniels is expected to win comfortably, but if Miller creeps up well into the 30s, then there will be some talkin' at the very least. Polls are open from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm ET. There is no party registration in Indiana, so voters can go to the polls and vote on either the Republican or Democratic ballot on primary day.

The AP's Robert Tanner uses today's primary to unveil the lay-of-the-land in the 11 states where there are gubernatorial contests this year. LINK

ABC Vote 2004: the House:

Roll Call's Chris Cillizza reports, "Presaging a month-long air campaign, the House's two national party committees are set to launch new independent expenditure ads in South Dakota today as they jockey for the high ground in the June 1 special election."

"The ads are remarkably similar and detail the candidates' plans for health care with a special focus on prescription drugs. Neither makes any mention of the opposition."

Roll Call's Nicole Duran has a grrrrreat article on the Washington House races, Noting, "Handicapping the Washington races is tough -- both parties can point to reasons why their candidates will end up on top."

Republican National Convention:

Artists, publicists, poets, and protesters of the world unite! The New York Times reports "dozens of arts organizations are making plans for at least four nights of political theater during the convention at East Village clubs, established theaters like Symphony Space, public libraries and of course the streets." LINK

USA Today's Martha T. Moore reports on how Mayor Bloomberg and other GOPers are encouraging Empire State Democrats to be friendly to all of their out-of-town guests this summer…and to "take their money." LINK

Bestsellers:

President Clinton and his book get more airtime in the New York Daily News, which writes about the his current "phone addiction." LINK

The New York Post reports on the Vanity Fair day coming up, reporting President Clinton's publisher is "despairing" and "famed editor Robert Gottlieb" has started "sleeping overnight at the former president's home in Chappaqua as he helps the much-distracted Clinton finish the tome." LINK